September 21st, 2013 The Tucson area has a rich and diverse cultural history which can be tapped into during a visit or throughout your lifetime. One of the areas biggest advocates is the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau who has put together an amazing look into the areas attractions & lifestyle over the years. This is the first of many videos we’ll feature that may shed more light on what Tucson has to offer. This first video is a great encapsulation of the western vibrancy that Tucson can provide with outdoor activities, extraordinary wildlife and so much more. Enjoy the video!
Check back for more videos to come!
Future videos will explore different tourist attractions and other avenues of enjoyment here in the Desert Southwest.
September 19th, 2013 Those in the process or thinking about buying a house may have just caught a break if they’re financing. In a surprise move to most investors, the Federal Reserve announced yesterday that they’ll leave alone its $85 billion monthly bond purchases. Citing the jobless rate, a recent surge in mortgage rates and other borrowing costs as a potential risk to the recovery of the economy, the Fed maintained its purchases which had the desired effect of raising bond prices and conversely lowering mortgage rates Wednesday afternoon. Exactly how long any dip in mortgage rates may last is always a guessing game, but those nearing a purchase are likely wise to take full advantage of any rate reduction.
September 18th, 2013  The September editions of “In The Know” & “The Woodall Wire” were mailed out over the last two days. If you haven’t signed up for both of them take advantage of that now to stay fully informed through our monthly publications or follow our new social media pages. You can Follow Us on Twitter Now & Like Us on Facebook to learn all the latest news quickly. The monthly newsletters focus on highlighted information with the In The Know providing more home based tips, useful tricks to know around the home, and a general review of news in the market. Our Woodall Wire is primarily focused on those actively searching for homes and provides highlighted listings, typically in the luxury realm, with specific market updates as well. As always you can contact us directly with any questions or to get signed up for either of our monthly newsletters.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THIS MONTH’S NEWSLETTERS OR PAST VOLUMES
September 16th, 2013 We’ve recently had quite a few inquiries as to what the construction is on the southeast corner of Oracle & 1st Avenue. Anyone driving through that corridor has noticed the land being cleared and it’s all in preparation for new luxury apartments & destination retail. This project is called “San Dorado” and is a joint venture between Kitchell Development of Phoenix and Mark Taylor, Inc. of Scottsdale.
The total project size is approximately 25 acres with the retail component being described as a unique, walkable shopping destination. This commercial space is being built by Kitchell and will occupy the southerly portion of the property. Expected to fill the space are smaller boutique stores trending towards an upscale market, however the initial tenants revealed have yet to fulfill that niche. Tenants announced so far are: CVS Pharmacy which purchased approximately 65,350 square feet, Panera (formerly known as Paradise Bakery) which leased 2,500 sq. ft., and Mattress Firm which has leased the adjoining 4,000 sq. ft.
On the north side of the development will sit a gated, luxury apartment complex of 275 units. The rental units are expected to have attached garages and be two & three-story complexes. The layout of the units will be sited to best take advantage of the incredible Catalina views nearby. A mix of 1-3 bedrooms units is planned with the sizes ranging from 770 square feet to 1,420 square feet. Amenities within the complex will be a lagoon pool, gym, sand volleyball courts, and a clubhouse. This apartment complex may come as a surprise to some with HSL already building a luxury apartment complex just up the road in Steam Pump Village near BASIS.
Check back here at TeamWoodall.com for more updates as they are made public.
September 15th, 2013 The September Long Realty Housing Reports are now up on TeamWoodall.com with activity for August. Also online are the MLS statistics for August too. Remember that you can sign-up to receive the Long Housing Reports automatically via email when they’re released. These Housing Reports are broken down by communities such as Oro Valley, Rancho Vistoso, Vail, Continental Ranch, etc. and also by MLS geographic areas such as Northwest and East. Additionally, there are Housing Reports available for the Luxury Market & a Land Report. Contact Team Woodall today to subscribe.
Click Here For the Housing Reports
September 11th, 2013 An area commonly called the “Vistoso Donut” received unanimous approval from the Oro Valley Town Council this past week for what will be slated as a 345 home, single family residential development. This parcel has long been nicknamed the Vistoso Donut because it’s a an approximately 129 acre piece nearly surrounded by The Golf Club at Vistoso. Primary access will be from the current end of La Canada heading northbound about 3/4 mile past Moore Rd. Recently acquired by developer and real estate investment firm True Life, the parcel will be primarily developed by Maracay Homes with lot sizes ranging from 4,500 square feet to 11,000 square feet.
This development will be split into six gated communities, all of which are planned to be incorporated as part of the Vistoso Community HOA. The site could have easily accommodated at least double the density of homes for which were applied and neighboring residents largely applauded Maracay’s efforts to mitigate their concerns over preserving view corridors. Quite some effort will be needed to bring this project to building stages but with the economy and real estate market in particular continually improving look for work to be fast-tracked. Check back for more news about this community as it develops.
September 6th, 2013 If you’re driving around Northwest Tucson frequently it’s likely that you pass by the Oracle & Ina intersection at least occasionally. As of today a significant traffic control change has taken effect. Motorists heading both eastbound & westbound on Ina Road will no longer be able to turn left onto Oracle Rd. Instead you’ll now have to cross Oracle and a new traffic control signal allows you to make a U-turn on Ina and head back to Oracle for a right hand turn. This “indirect left” as it has come to be known is designed to relieve the congestion that’s at this intersection once it’s synchronized with new right hand turn merging lanes.
This intersection will be closely monitored to see what effect these design changes have on the congestion. Particularly bad has been the right hand turn onto Oracle heading northbound from Ina Road heading westbound. In the afternoon this right hand turn has backed up as long as 3/4 of a mile. Hopefully the changes provide some relief to Tucson motorists and don’t cause too much confusion as people discover the control change. Other indirect turn lanes will be installed on Grant Road as part of its renovation project.
August 29th, 2013 Many people may not have even heard of a USDA loan, but they are a great option for many entry-level buyers looking for a low down payment option. In fact, outside of VA loans, the USDA loan program is the only widely available one which requires 0% down payment. Another great feature for USDA loans is their lower mortgage insurance premium when compared with the more widely used FHA loans. There are some restrictions to USDA loans however and these include: income limitations, the purchase must be for a primary residence (actually owning any other real estate typically disqualifies a purchase), and there are geographic restrictions as well. Around the Tucson area some of the notable geographic areas that are eligible are Vail, Sahuarita, Rita Ranch, and anything north of Tangerine. Yes, this includes Dove Mountain & Rancho Vistoso in addition to communities such as Blackhorse Ranch & Eagle Crest.
There aren’t too many drawbacks to the USDA loan program if you meet the eligibility requirements. In fact the only notable one would be that the program can take approximately 10 additional days to fund as USDA reviews each application and must sign off on the loan as well. Much like FHA or VA loans, there is a funding fee which is paid at the time of origination, however this can be financed into the loan so that the buyer doesn’t have to pay it with cash at closing. If you’re interested in purchasing in one of the qualifying outlying areas, then you owe it to yourself to investigate USDA loans. Please contact Team Woodall for more information about this phenomenal loan program.
August 22nd, 2013 The housing markets in Arizona are constantly changing and especially over the last six years have been quite tumultuous. Staying on top of the trends is vital to make informed decisions at any one time. Team Woodall’s philosophy is empowering buyers through awareness and education, which is a goal shared and promoted by Long Realty as well. As part of their efforts, Long Realty created a special Mid-Year Housing Report for Arizona broken down by regions. This report focuses on market activity and should help give both buyers and sellers a sense of the market position overall. Of course each market is further divided into localized areas, price points, type of products, etc. and that’s where we can further enhance our clients knowledge. We hope you enjoy this special housing report and please let us know if you’d like any additional information.
CLICK HERE FOR THE UPDATED MID-YEAR HOUSING REPORT
August 16th, 2013 StoneCanyonProperties.com
Team Woodall is pleased to announce the launch of a new community website focused exclusively on the private residential development of Stone Canyon in Oro Valley. Stone Canyon is an exceptional neighborhood with some of the best desert topography in the Southwest. While Team Woodall’s focus isn’t solely limited to Stone Canyon it has been an area of specialty. With the intimate knowledge gained from years of involvement in the community it seemed ideal for Team Woodall to create this website to pass along their expertise.
Crafted as a buyer’s informational resource, this website provides a brief overview of Stone Canyon’s history, the present state of affairs within the development, and finally a look into what the future may hold. However, perhaps the most utilized pages will be the direct MLS feeds which show the current Homes For Sale within Stone Canyon and the active Lots For Sale. Other information which is included and should prove tremendously useful to buyers includes:
- Design Guidelines
- Subdivision Plats
- Public Reports
- Stone Canyon & Vistoso HOA CCRs
- Golf Course Membership Information
- About Oro Valley
- And MUCH MORE!
Team Woodall will continue to update and improve the offerings of this website to provide even more useful information to buyers. Keep checking back to find the latest information about this magnificent community or simply contact Team Woodall for an even more in-depth analysis of Stone Canyon or for property showings.
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